House Call
by alexcabotfan
Summary: A mysterious medical condition lands Alex under the care of Dr. Gregory House. Major twists, turns, and suspense ahead! Elliot/Olivia and Alex/Dr. Wilson romance! All your favorite characters are involved! Read and review, pretty please!
1. Chapter 1

_*Hey, readers! So, I've reworked and reposted this story…Hopefully it should flow more easily and work a little better this time!_

_I own none of the characters of House or Law and Order: SVU. I'm just borrowing for a brief time!*_

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"I'm not a princess!" Alex exclaimed, "I just hate camping!"

"Aw, come on, Alex!" Casey coaxed, "We barely ever have time off. It'll be fun!"

"Well, _you_ can still go with them!" Alex retorted.

"It won't be nearly as much fun without you, though!" Olivia prodded, "Come on, you've always said you'd go if you could take the time off."

"I lied," Alex bluntly retorted, "It's tradition at this point. Every year the squad goes camping, and I sit in my nice, warm apartment and thank God I have technology!"

"How about if you agree to come, lunch is on me today," Olivia bargained.

"Hmm…not enough," Alex caught on quickly.

"Alright, fine," Olivia sighed, "If you come camping with us, Casey and I will go to that ballet with you next week."

Casey gave Olivia the dirtiest look in her repertoire. She dreaded the idea of having to sit through "Swan Lake" yet again.

"All right, I guess I'll go!" Alex said, feigning excitement, "I _can't wait_ for 'Swan Lake! I'll see you guys later; I need to go file this paperwork."

Once Alex was out of earshot, Casey dug into Olivia.

"Next time leave the negotiating to me," Casey laughed, "You don't agree to go to a freaking ballet with her unless you've exhausted every other option. And I mean _every _other option."

"Ballets aren't horrible. Haven't you seen 'Black Swan' yet?" Olivia joked.

"They are with Alex," Casey argued, "She used to be a ballerina in high school, so she spends the entire time criticizing every _little _mistake the dancers make. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Olivia joked in all good humor, "Oh well, seeing Alex trying to brave the elements will make it worth it!"

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By Friday, even Alex was incredibly excited for the trip. While wilderness and nature weren't her things, hanging out with the squad and Casey always made for a good time. However, it soon became clear to Alex that she would not be able to leave at 11:30. Alex put in a courtesy call to Elliot to let everyone known her change of plans.

"Really, Alex, you're chickening out already?" Elliot joked.

"I'm sorry; I'm so bogged down with paperwork! I'll meet you in Jersey around 6:00, 7:00 latest."

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By 7:00, dinner was ended and the camp was all set up for the evening. However, 8:00 came, then 8:30, and then 9:00 with no sign of Alex.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Olivia mused, "I've tried calling her four or five times. She _always_ picks up her phone."

"She probably got stuck at the office," Finn offered, "Besides; she's been better about talking while driving. She even took that 'Oprah' pledge thing."

"Still, I'm surprised she didn't at least _pull over_ and call," Casey thought aloud, "That's not like her."

As if on cue, Casey's cellphone rang.

"Hey, Alex, you're alive!" she exclaimed

"Hey, Casey," Alex managed to muster, "Don't freak out, but I won't be able to make it. I got into a bit of an accident. I'm fine, though, no need to worry."

"Oh my God!" Casey exclaimed, immediately gaining everyone's attention, "Where are you? What happened?"

"I'm at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital," Alex admitted, "But seriously, they're just keeping me for observation. I keep trying to tell these…doctors…that I am _perfectly_ fine. It was just a glorified fender-bender is all."

"We'll be right there!" Casey asserted.

"No, no Casey, seriously, you don't need to –"

Casey hung up before Alex could finish her objection. Within ten minutes, the entire group was on their way to the hospital.

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Once they reached the hospital, they were quickly able to find the ER and, with the help of friendly nurses, made their way to Alex's room in an instant. When they reached their friend, they realized that the situation was incredibly understated by Alex. She had a black eye and her face had several superficial scratches and abrasions. Her left wrist was in a cast, and she looked like exhaustion itself. Finn led the way as they all went to give Alex gentle hugs.

"Aww baby girl, how are you feeling?" he asked, "You in a lot of pain?"

"No, the Vicodin takes care of that," Alex answered with a laugh, "I can't feel a _thing!"_

"Glad to hear it," Olivia said as she gave Alex's hand a quick squeeze, "Is there anything we can get you?"

"No, I'm fine, but thank you," Alex replied, and then giving a mock-glare to Casey, "You guys didn't need to interrupt your trip. I told this one over here that I was fine."

"You didn't really think I was going to let you sit in a hospital all alone, did you?" Casey softly joked, "And it's a good thing I didn't! You didn't tell me you broke something!"

"It's not that bad!" Alex defended, "They didn't have to reset it, or anything."

"That's really comforting," Elliot said with gentle mock-sarcasm, "I'm just glad you're ok."

"If the hospital asks where you got it, I'll deny everything," Munch leaned in and handed Alex a bag of Lindt truffles, "But I figured a stay in the hospital requires some chocolate!"

Just as Alex thanked John profusely and placed the contraband safely out of sight, Alex's attending physician came in to check on his patient.

"Hello, Alex, how are you feeling?" the doctor asked sympathetically as he checked her vitals. He introduced himself to Alex's friends as Dr. James Wilson.

"Well, I have good news. The x-ray from the rib fractures came back alright. We won't need to reset them after all," Dr. Wilson reported, "There's no internal bleeding, no kidney or liver damage, just as we thought. Everything looks really good!"

"Great, so I can go home?" Alex said. It was an amazing how she perked up with the idea of being in her own bed.

"Sorry, no such luck," Dr. Wilson confessed, "Hospital policy. With the fractures and the fact that you blacked out, we're going to have to keep you overnight for observation."

Though the fact that she blacked out gained horrified looks from her friends, Alex pretended not to notice and simply continued her conversation with the good Doctor. Once Dr. Wilson left, Casey, Olivia, Finn, Elliot, and Munch decided they would let Alex get some much-needed rest. They decided to check into the Holiday Inn across the street in case Alex needed anything during the night.

A few hours passed, but Alex couldn't get a wink of sleep. Eventually, she gave up and decided to watch the 11:30 episode of 'How I Met your Mother.' Before she could get too invested in Barney's shenanigans, however; she heard a knock on the door and Dr. Wilson came in.

"Hey," he began, "I hope I'm not disturbing. I heard the television on and figured you were still up. Do you need anything before I go home?"

"Nope, I think I'm all set. Thank you, though!" Alex replied. However, a strange sensation soon came over her.

"Actually, I don't think I feel so well," Alex managed as she cradled her head and stomach instinctively, "My head is killing me; I get migraines and this is _bad_. And my stomach just feels…weird."

"It's probably the Vicodin. It can sometimes make people feel lousy like that, ironically," Wilson replied consolingly as he felt her forehead and checked her vitals, "Let me grab you some ibuprofen and some tums for your stomach."

Before Wilson could even leave the room, Alex's vitals began to crash dangerously. Wilson called for a crash cart just as Alex began to vomit blood. Whatever this was, Wilson realized that it was _not _simply side-effects from the Vicodin.

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_*Thanks for reading! Stick with me, and I promise you some major, exciting twists and turns that will leave you speechless :D So, keep reading and reviewing and I will try not to disappoint!*_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello everyone! Thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers…I've been going through a bit of a stressful time lately, so writing and seeing this wonderful feedback has definitely relieved my anxiety! As usual, I own nothing, sadly :-(_

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Dr. Wilson spent the remainder of the night running every sort of test he could imagine. Alex's liver, kidneys, heart and lungs again checked out fine. CT and MRI scans confirmed that there was no brain damage besides the minor impact he had discovered earlier. By 9:00 am, her vitals were still only stable at best, and Wilson was out of options. Finally, Wilson resigned himself to asking for help. He analyzed every possible option to get his best friend, Dr. Gregory House, interested in Alex Cabot's case.

When Wilson walked in, he saw Dr. House completely invested in his Soap Opera du jour. At the same time, he was throwing a red and green tennis ball against the wall in boredom.

"There's this thing called knocking, you know," House said in his usual dark, sarcastic humor.

"I'm sorry, especially with how considerate you are, knocking on my office door," Wilson replied in the same humor, "But, I have a case for you."

"We'll see about that," House mused to himself as he looked over her file, "Wow, I'm shocked! Someone who got into a car accident has symptoms of internal injury! Contact the CDC!"

"We checked everything," Wilson argued, "She's crashing, but all the tests are coming back normal."

"Alright, I'll take it, I guess. I'm bored," House agreed with surprising ease, "Besides, you obviously have a thing for her. She's hot! That'll make things interesting."

"House, stop it," Wilson answered indignantly, "I'm a professional. She's my patient!"

"Exactly," House answered triumphantly, holding up the photo in her file, "She's pretty _and_ she's your patient - added bonus in your world."

"Just take the case and do your job," Wilson replied as he left, realizing it would be futile to argue with House.

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Within the next hour, Dr. House and his team; Dr. Chris Taub, Dr. Robert Chase, Dr. Eric Foreman, and Dr. Martha Masters made full use of the whiteboard with their differential diagnoses.

"Could be a neurological infection," Foreman added.

"I don't like coincidence," House thought aloud, "It has to be connected to the accident."

"Maybe it's no coincidence," Foreman argued, "A neurological infection could have caused her to lose control of the wheel-"

"It's possible," Chase added as he looked at the accident report, "But the accident wasn't her fault. She was stopped at a red light when a drunk driver hit her four times and ran."

"Could be meningitis," Dr. Masters chimed in, "The ER took blood, meaning they used needles. If the accident stressed her system, she could have been more prone to any little infection."

"It's a long shot, but it fits," House mused, deep in thought, "Test her for meningitis, and while you're at it, check her white blood cell count to see if there's any trace of neurological infection."

Before the doctors could get to work, all five of them received pages; never a good sign. When they reached Alex's room, they saw her in the midst of a grand mal seizure. They gave her some Felbatol to stop the seizure and waited with Alex until Dr. Wilson came to look after her. The team reassembled in their usual quarters, armed with a new symptom to spur new ideas.

"Well, it's probably not meningitis," House added, "More likely neurological infection."

"I know you hate coincidence," Dr. Taub interjected, "But it could be environmental, too. Maybe toxic mold or even lead paint fumes over an extended period."

"You're right," House agreed, then after a pause, "I _do_ hate coincidence. But it fits. Chase, Masters: take a road trip to Manhattan. Search her apartment and office for anything mean and nasty. Taub, Foreman: do those testy-things we talked about earlier. Make sure you do a full body scan for traces of meningitis. It'll just be so much fun, plus we can check for hidden trauma from the accident."

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"What exactly does House expect us to find?" Chase asked as he searched through Alex's office desk, "Her apartment's cleaner than most hospital rooms. And if there was anything here, her co-workers would be sick, too."

"I think he just wanted an excuse for us to break in somewhere," Masters added as she looked through the extensive bookcase, "House hasn't pulled that one in a while."

"Who the hell are you? And just what do you think you're doing?" An enraged Elizabeth Donnelly yelled as she came upon Alex's office. "I'm calling security."

"We're Ms. Cabot's doctors," Chase began, trying to defuse the situation, "I'm Dr. Chase, this is Dr. Masters. We're just trying to find environmental toxins that are making her sick, I promise."

"Bull. Do you think I'm stupid? If you really had such noble intentions, you would have had security let you in," Judge Donnelly asserted, "Let's see some identification."

Once she examined their licenses and the cards they used to gain medical clearance, Liz was convinced that they were actually doctors, at least.

"Let's see your pockets," Liz demanded, "And you, I want to check your purse." She searched and was satisfied that they hadn't stolen anything.

"Alright, here's what's going to happen," Liz bargained, "I won't call the police, but I _am_ telling Alex that you broke in and ransacked her office. She can decide for herself if she's pressing charges. I'm going to supervise you while you _gently_ search this office and _carefully_ put everything back in order. If there is one piece of _lint_ out of place when you're done, so help me God…"

"Fair enough," Dr. Chase said, "I know our methods are…unorthodox, but we really are doing this to help Ms. Cabot."

"Your methods aren't 'unorthodox;' they're illegal," Liz retorted with a small smirk, "I'm only letting you continue this felonious little escapade because I couldn't bear to see anything happen to Alex. She's a close friend to everyone here, and a damn good ADA."

The search was completed within a half hour, but unfortunately nothing could be found by the naked eye. They took samples of the dust and paint in the room, hoping that their lab could uncover something.

Just as the doctors were leaving, Liz caught their attention one last time.

"Hey, Starsky and Hutch," she quipped, "Next time you decide to go all "Mission Impossible," try _not_ leaving the nail file _in _the lock."

"I _told _you we should have called security," Masters hissed under her breath as the pair left, "Or just asked Alex for a key."

"You know House would've hated that," Chase argued just as quietly, "Besides, _you're _the one who forgot to take the nail file out of the lock!"

The arguing continued all the way down to the car. Liz Donnelly, as angry as she was before, found them to be quite amusing.

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Meanwhile, Foreman and Taub were busy running a battery of tests for various infections. Though these came back negative, they proceeded with the full body MRI.

"Are you alright in there?" Foreman gently asked, "You're heart-rate is a bit high."

"I'm fine," Alex answered shakily, "I'm just a bit claustrophobic."

"Let us know if you get too nervous," Taub offered, "We might be able to work out an open MRI if the anxiety gets unmanageable."

"Taub, look at this," Foreman exclaimed as the first photos came in, "There's at least twenty of these masses in her lungs."

"Oh my God," Taub agreed, "We'd better get Wilson to take a look at this."

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_Thanks again for reading…Now, I apologize for any errors with the medical information! I'm trying to do a bit of research, but there are bound to be errors! My biology and chemistry knowledge does not go beyond the 10__th__ grade, so try not to hold it against me or the story. Remember, reviews help my creative juices flow, which means faster updates! _


	3. Chapter 3

_****Thanks for reading, loves! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while; school has kept me so busy! The good news is that I'm out for the semester on May 10th, so I will have plenty of time to update a TON! As usual, I own nothing, unfortunately. Hmm, I wonder what I would do if I owned SVU and House? Well, make an epic movie, for one thing…****_

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While Foreman and Taub brought the MRI results to Wilson and House, Alex went back to her room to rest. Within a few minutes, Liz Donnelly gave Alex a quick phone call.

"Liz, it's so good to hear your voice!"

"It's good to hear yours, too! How are you feeling?" Liz enthusiastically replied.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose," Alex replied, "Any new cases come up? I'll be out in a couple of days, and back to work by the end of the week!"

"Oh no, dear," Liz chastised, "You won't be back at work until you're 100%. I know you're not going to take time to recover voluntarily, so I may just have to force you to take vacation days."

"Just so you know, I'm sticking my tongue out at you," Alex said in good humor, "I'm coming back to work as soon as this goddam hospital releases me, and you can't stop me, so there!"

"Very mature, Alex," Liz joked," But I'm glad you're in good spirits. Anyway, I actually have something to talk to you about. I caught your doctors fishing around your office this morning. They broke in with a nail file, believe it or not."

"That's completely ridiculous," Alex spit, "If they think they can just barge in and go through my personal property…"

"Cut them _some _slack," Liz defended, "I know it's a terrible invasion of privacy, but at least you can say you have dedicated doctors."

"I guess that's _one way _to look at it. Anyway I should probably get going," Alex ended, "I'll talk to you soon! I have some ass to kick…"

"Talk to you soon!" Liz replied, "Get some rest; I want you back to work healthy."

Once the conversation was over, Alex paged her team of doctors, along with Dr. Cuddy. She was out for blood. Within five minutes, everyone was assembled, and Alex let it rip.

"I don't even know what to say," Alex yelled, "If you want to ask me questions, fine. If you want to ask me for a _key_ to my office like civilized people, fine. But to break in without my knowledge or consent is absolutely illegal and pisses me off beyond belief."

"I understand your anger, believe me I do," Dr. Cuddy assured with a glare to House, "And believe me: I will have a long talk with Dr. House and his associates about this. Now, he may be extreme, but Dr. House and his team will do whatever it takes to get you well. He's the best doctor we have in this hospital."

"I don't care how good he is! There are plenty of good doctors out there," Alex exclaimed, and added sardonically "I mean, what's next; are you planning on going through my apartment, too?"

Alex caught the guilty look Masters and Chase shared.

"You went through my apartment, too!" She exclaimed, "Are you serious? You just screwed with the wrong attorney. Your malpractice insurance will drop your asses faster than you can say punitive damages. That's it – I want to be transferred to Mercy. I _don't_ have to deal with this."

"I know you're upset, but I would strongly advise against that," Wilson coaxed kindly, "We really should start treatment immediately; and transports in your condition aren't wise."

"My condition?" Alex asked, terrified and confused, "Treatment? For what?"

"You didn't tell her yet?" Wilson asked incredulously. The rest of the doctors took that as their cue to leave.

"Sorry about that," Wilson apologized, and then to break the awkwardness, added "For what it's worth, Dr. Cuddy and I have been trying to get House to stop breaking-and-entering for years."

He gently held her hand as he prepared to give her the news.

"Theres...no really easy way to tell you this, so I guess I'll just come out and say it. I'm so sorry, but you have lung cancer," Dr. Wilson informed her in the consoling way only he could, "The MRI showed twenty or so small tumors. We'll need your permission to take a biopsy."

Alex sat in dumbfounded silence for almost five minutes, unable to speak. After she could hold it in no longer, the tears came down like a waterfall. Wilson sat next to Alex and put his arm on her back to console her. She rested her head on Dr. Wilson's shoulder as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"This can't be happening" Alex told herself aloud, "I've never smoked, no one in my family ever smoked…"

"Sometimes these things just happen," Dr. Wilson sympathized, "Could be genetics, or just chance. No matter what happens, though, I'll be there with you every step of the way; I promise."

"Tell me the truth," Alex implored, "How long do I have?"

"It's too early to tell," Wilson consoled, "I'll know more after the biopsy tomorrow. Lung cancer can be pretty aggressive, but there are plenty of cases of remission."

Alex continued to rest her head on Wilson's shoulder, and he softly rubbed her back as she cried. Once her tear ducts could produce nothing else, she sat up straight, wiped her eyes, and tried to recompose herself.

"I'm so sorry," she managed through deep breaths, "This is so embarrassing. I didn't mean to get your sleeve all covered with tears and snot!"

"It's ok!" Wilson answered with a soft smile, "Snot sleeves come with the territory as an Oncologist."

Now that Alex was as calm as could be expected, Wilson made sure she was ok, but regrettably had to leave for a meeting. Her friends weren't allowed to visit until 4:00, and since it was only 2:00, Alex decided to lie down and take a nap. She could count the number of naps she had ever taken on one hand, but the news proved so overwhelming it was all she could do.

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Three hours later, Alex awoke to the sight of her friends relaxing in her room. She had to suppress giggles as she saw Olivia and Elliot asleep together on the love seat. Alex always had her suspicions about those two, but of course she kept them to herself.

"Hey, sleeping beauty rises!" Munch gave her a gentle but enthusiastic hug, "How are you feeling?" Elliot and Olivia stirred and followed suit with hugs, followed by Casey and Munch.

Alex tearfully described the events of the last eighteen hours, and her friends just stared in dumbfounded silence. Once the initial shock wore off, Casey sat on the bed and just held her best friend's hand. The rest of the group followed suit, and soon Alex had a protective, supportive barricade around her. Her tears again flowed freely, but they weren't as scared and unsure as before. Everyone had questions, but no one wanted to ask. Asking made the situation real, and for now, no one was ready to _accept _reality.

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Unfortunately, a knock on the door interrupted the melancholy group in what felt like far too short a time.

"I'm sorry;" a rude nurse barged in, "Visiting hours are over. Ms. Cabot can have one visitor overnight, but they need to sign in with the front desk."

"Can we just have a few more minutes?" Olivia asked, trying to hide her aggravation.

"I'm sorry, but it's almost 9:00. Visiting hours actually ended twenty minutes ago," the nurse explained, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave; hospital policy."

"Well, she's allowed one overnight visitor," Casey suggested, "I'll stay here with Alex, and we'll all catch up tomorrow."

"Oh, Casey, you don't have to do that," Alex replied, trying to hide how scared she was to be alone, "You hate hospitals! Besides, that pull-out couch looks like it sucks."

"Please, Alex, you're my best friend. Do you really think I'm going to leave you alone at a time like this?"

Alex willingly gave in without any further convincing. The group took their time to give Alex incredibly warm goodbyes. She got more hugs and kisses on the cheek in that twenty minute period than in her entire life combined. The group then made their way back to their hotel across the street, except for Casey who quickly checked in at the front desk.

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"So, I was thinking movie night with popcorn? They have _When Harry Met Sally!_" Casey suggested, "The food court only had this really 'heart-healthy' popcorn, but I guess it's better than nothing!"

"That sounds absolutely fantastic!" Alex exclaimed, thrilled that Casey wasn't pushing to talk about the issue. Casey and Alex seemed to have a non-verbal agreement: tonight would be a fun girls' night, with the 'big-C' completely out of the conversation.

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_****Thanks so much for reading! Now, I beg of you: please review? I so love them, they make my life! Hey, if you're good with reviews, I MIGHT just be able to update again before Monday ;-) Anyway, even if you don't review, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!****_


	4. Chapter 4

_*Thanks for reading and the wonderful reviews! Now, unfortunately, I probably won't be able to update for a few weeks :-( I'll be out of classes on May 10th, so I'll make up for it then! Hopefully you enjoy this chapter! As usual, I own nothing, just borrowing…*_

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An hour later, the health-food popcorn was devoured, as was Alex's secret stash of chocolates, and the two ladies were fully invested in _When Harry Met Sally_. So far, operation "elephant in the room" was going extraordinarily well. While it was only a superficial happiness, Alex felt relaxed with the distraction.

"Hey, Casey, you're not nodding off on me, are you?" Alex laughed.

"What? Huh?" Casey stirred as she rubbed her eyes, "Nope, I was just resting my eyes!"

"Surrre you were," Alex quipped, and then trying to make conversation, added, "Would you believe in college I had the really big, feathered hair just like Meg Ryan?"

"Are you serious?" Casey laughed, "I can see it, actually! You kind of look like her; just a little."

"God, I was _so_ fashionable back then!" Alex joked, "I had my eighties gold balloon pants, my Farrah Faucett hair and everything! I've tried to destroy the evidence, but I'm sure there are still some pictures laying around the attic!"

"Haha, you and me both were styling in the eighties!" Casey laughed, "Only, I had the flippy hair, you know, with the full bangs? Yeah, it was _bad!_"

Suddenly, however, Alex suddenly stopped laughing. Seemingly without warning, she started to gently cry.

"Alex, sweetie, it's ok, I'm here" Casey comforted as she went to sit next to her.

"My hair," Alex sobbed, "I know it's such a stupid thing to worry about, but what am I going to do without my hair?"

"It's ok, it'll grow back before you know it," Casey consoled, "In the meantime, you can get a really realistic looking wig, and no one will know the difference!"

"You don't understand," Alex began to panic, "My hair is who I am! What if it grows back, and I'm a brunette, or I go grey, or it gets really frizzy and I actually need to put effort into it?"

"Shh, listen to me," Casey reassured her, "You _are not_ your hair. Blonde, brunette, purple, curly, straight or frizzball: you are gorgeous. Besides, your hair doesn't make you a great lawyer or an _amazing_ friend; that's all you."

"Casey, what if I don't make it?" Alex whispered, mostly to herself, after several seconds.

Casey just pulled her in for a hug, unsure for a while what to say.

"I know you're terrified," Casey finally began, "And I'm no doctor. But, I _do _know that you're a fighter. If anyone can beat this, you can."

Alex nodded intently to reassure herself, and let herself flop down onto her pillow.

"Thank you so much, Casey," Alex closed her eyes and tried to melt her stress away into the bed. After taking several deep, composing breaths, she desperately needed to lighten the mood.

"Now, I really don't think I can deal with anymore thoughts of…this right now. So, can we talk about how gorgeous my doctor is instead?"

"I was going to mention that!" Casey exclaimed, "How did you get the gorgeous, single oncologist, anyway? Last time, I got some really horrible, butch nurse who kept missing my vein with the IV."

"The hospital was short-staffed, so all the doctors had to do ER rounds last night," Alex explained, "I totally lucked out! He's _so_ sweet, too. He's like, that prince charming every girl dreams of marrying when they're fourteen."

"Oh, completely," Casey agreed with a laugh, "So, when you two get married, I totally call maid of honor."

"Hmm, I don't know," Alex laughed, "You might have to physically fight Liv for that job!"

"What?" Casey laughed in mock anger, hitting Alex lightly with a pillow, "Come on! You know she couldn't _touch _the bachelorette party I'd throw!"

"This is true," Alex laughed in mock consideration, hitting Casey with the pillow in retribution. "I'll have to audition both of you when the time comes!"

A pillow fight of epic proportions broke out between the two ADA's. For that short time, the friends forgot that anything was wrong. Soon, however, the clock stuck midnight, so the two decided to turn in for the night and get some shut-eye.

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By 10:00 the next morning, Alex was up and ready for her biopsy. Literally, she was _up _and pacing around the room.

"Alex, sweetie, you need to relax," Casey coaxed, "Stressing like this isn't going to do anything!"

"Well, I don't know what else to do!" Alex freaked out, "This is how I deal with anxiety."

Before Alex began a full on panic attack, Dr. Wilson came and knocked on the door, ten minutes early for the procedure. Alex was thrilled with his timing – nothing made Alex more anxious and upset than tardiness.

"I see you're up and dressed," Wilson commented, "I figured I would come a little early and explain the procedure. You'll be completely anesthetized, so you won't feel a thing. We'll go into the lung through your airway and take a small sample of the tumors. By the time you get up, I'll have the samples tested and actually have some answers for you."

"What kind of things are you looking for?" Alex asked, only slightly terrified, "I mean, you already know it's cancer, right?"

"Yes, that we could tell from the MRI," Wilson explained, "The biopsy will tell us more about what stage the cancer's at, how aggressive the cancer is, whether it's metastasized or not…"

A slight nod from Alex indicated her understanding, but Dr. Wilson and Casey couldn't miss the obvious fear in her eyes.

"Do you have any other questions before we get started?" Wilson asked consolingly. After a shake of her head, Wilson presented Alex with some paperwork. After a warm hug from Casey, Alex was wheeled off to the operating room.

"Ok Alex, I'm gonna need you to count down from ten," Dr. Chase, the head surgeon, asked as he put the mask over her face. Alex made it to six before a deep, overwhelming sleep overtook her.

"Inserting the camera," Chase dictated as he surgically placed the camera into her lung. Suddenly, a look of shock overtook the doctor.

"Wilson, take a look at this," Chase exclaimed in quiet curiosity. Wilson immediately took a closer look at the closed circuit monitor.

"What the hell? Tumors don't just…disappear!" Wilson balked in sheer disbelief.

"Are you sure I didn't put the camera in the wrong lung?" Chase asked, consulting his notes.

"They were in both lungs. Over twenty of them," Wilson explained incredulously, "I double, triple checked that MRI…"

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Two hours later, Alex finally began to stir from the anesthesia. Dr. Wilson, Chase, Masters, and Foreman were all present in the recovery room.

"Well, four doctors at once is never good," Alex realized aloud, "Just break it to me gently…"

Everyone looked at Wilson, obviously electing him to the job.

"Well, the good news is that you don't have cancer. The tumors…seem to have just disappeared," Wilson explained, "Unfortunately, that means we still don't know what's wrong."

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_*So, how'd you guys like the twist? Anyway, the twists will keep coming, so PLEASE continue to read and review and I'll love you all forever! Again, I'll do what I can, but with finals right around the corner, I can't promise a speedy update. But May 10th is right around the corner, really!*_


	5. Chapter 5

*_Hey everyone! Sorry I'm later than I initially promised. It's taken longer than I thought to settle in at home, and writers block is a terribly debilitating disease! But, get ready for frequent, exciting updates! As usual, I own nothing. Surprise, surprise, I know you're all shocked and disappointed…*_

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After letting the news settle for a day, Alex was still unsure how to feel. Of course, she was elated that she didn't have cancer. At the same time, her friends weren't allowed to visit until hours later, and being alone for the day and out of work gave her a terrible case of cabin fever. Luckily, she had her Kindle with her, and she dove into a book. An hour into _Pride and Prejudice, _a knock on the door pulled her back to reality.

"Wow, you _are_ way hotter in person."

"Thank you…I think," Alex replied, "You must be doctor House."

"It's that obvious, huh?" House dryly retorted as he felt her lymph nodes, "Damn it, not neuro-syphilis. _That's _one-hundred bucks I'll never see again."

"You actually place _bets_ on what's wrong with patients?"

"You're actually surprised?" He replied as he motioned for Alex to bend forward. He examined her lower back, having to slightly lift the back of her shirt.

"I guess I just expected my doctors to take their jobs seriously," Alex bantered in good humor, "My mistake."

"OUCH!" Alex exclaimed as House lightly pressed on her lower spine, "What the hell?"

"Oh good," House replied to himself, lost in thought, "How long's your back been hurting?"

"It was a little tender the day after the accident," Alex answered nervously, "I just figured I did something in the crash. Right?"

"You idiot!" House exclaimed, "You're just thinking to tell us this now?"

"Excuse me, I have a 143 IQ! I'm no 'idiot!'" Alex answered, now genuinely upset, "Besides, no one asked me about back pain! I have three fractured ribs; I figured some soreness was normal."

"155," House answered coolly, "I know, I know, you're not used to losing that one. And back pain and that nasty bruise can indicate anything from kidney failure to…"

With that, House got 'the look' in his eyes and left without another word. Alex rolled her eyes in exasperation, thankful that seeing patients was _usually_ beneath House.

* * *

"So, how is it that five doctors neglected to ask our patient about back pain?" House nearly yelled at his team.

"Why would that be relevant?" Foreman asked, confused, "I would expect Alex's back to hurt; that's one of the most common injuries after a crash."

"Did no-one else notice how thin she is?" House implored, exasperated that he actually had to explain his revelation.

"Are you thinking fenfluramine poisoning?" Chase asked incredulously, understanding House's logic, "You think she's on diet pills?"

"It fits!" House exclaimed, "The seizure, cardiac problems…even the 'tumors' in the lungs could've been fenfluramine build-up! The crash stresses her system, she loses some weight from hospital food and nausea, and the poison goes on hyper-drive…"

"House, I doubt she's on diet pills," Wilson argued, "She didn't mention any medications, and she's smart enough not to lie. You didn't find any at her home or office, either."

"This statement is really getting old, but _everyone _lies. She probably hid them somewhere good; if they did this much damage she had to be taking them like candy" House thought, "She's just the type, too. Slightly obsessive-compulsive, anxiety and insomnia issues, can never measure up to her own standards…"

"House, stop," Wilson answered, about to argue his point.

"Just because you have a thing for her doesn't mean I'm wrong," House interrupted with a darkly sarcastic tone, "Think with your _other_ head – it fits!"

Though Wilson didn't agree with any of that last statement, he knew arguing was futile, so he put his hands up in surrender and went back to his own office. House, on the other hand, was looking forward to confronting Alex about his idea.

* * *

"So, _now_ I know the secret to your perfect figure," House said with a slight smile, "How many of those diet pills do you pop a day? Ten, fifteen, maybe…? It must be at _least _that many to do this kind of damage."

"Who the hell are you?" Elliot spit, coming to Alex's defense.

"I'm Dr. House," he sneered, "And your friend here's been taking enough diet pills to permanently destroy a _horse's_ liver and kidneys!"

"I don't take diet pills," Alex exclaimed, "I run and eat healthy, that's it!"

"_You_ can lie, but your symptoms don't," House quipped, "The leading ingredient in diet pills is fenfluramine. It's dangerous enough in small doses, but when you take as many pills as _you_ obviously have, it can cause seizures, cardiac issues, even lung problems. I'll do a blood test to confirm, but you and I both know what the answer is."

House left, and all of Alex's friends stared at her, unsure of how to ask.

"House is crazy," Alex assured, "I've never taken diet pills in my life."

"Alex, you can tell us," Casey softly assured, "You didn't do anything illegal, and we won't think any less of you. Yeah, you're insane for thinking you're heavy, but a ton of people take them."

"I'm telling the truth, and I _don't_ think I'm heavy!" Alex assured, "If I knew what was making me sick, I'd tell you or my doctors."

"Alex, the symptoms seem to fit," Olivia gently pointed out.  
"Doctors always think they know everything, and the symptoms _always _fit," Alex argued, "They were completely sure it was lung cancer, remember?"

"True that," Finn said, "Look, if you say you didn't take them, you didn't take them."

"Same goes for me," Munch assured. Though Casey was convinced, Elliot and Olivia wanted to wait until the blood results before they decided either way. Of course, they didn't mention their doubts to Alex, the rest of the group, or each other. They weren't doctors or detectives right now, only Alex's friends.

* * *

Back in the lab, House, Wilson and his team retested blood samples from their initial assessment. The standard tests wouldn't show fenfluramine, but the new adjustments showed that her levels were off the charts.

"Wow, I guess you were right," Wilson admitted, "I'll go break the news."

"No, something's not right," House replied with his trademark deadpan.

"House, you said it was the diet pills, and it's clearly the pills with fenfluramine levels that high," Chase replied.

"Yeah, but we should've seen elevated levels of colloidal silver, comfry, kava, anything," House thought to himself, "Diet pills have a ton of _fun _ingredients that should've shown up on the tox screen, so why is only fenfluramine showing up?"

House got the 'look' in his eyes, and was on his way to share his revelation with his patient without another word. The rest of the doctors just took an exasperated breath, all-too-used to House's brilliant antics.

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_OOOH so what do we think could've happened? Did you like the chapter? Please review, whether you loved it, hated it, or just want to yell at me for taking too long to update!_


	6. Chapter 6

_*Hi, guys! Thank you for the reviews always, loves; they really make me soo happy :-) This next chapter will clear a few things up, but it will bring more questions than answers, I promise! As usual, I own absolutely nothing…hmm are the rights up on eBay yet? No? Ok, checking craigslist…* _

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"Stop, call the police!" House exclaimed facetiously, "Wow! That was fast!"

Alex and Casey gave House their trademark _'what the hell? Let's figure him out NOW'_ looks, honed in law school. The detectives gave him their _'you'd better start talking __**now**__!_' looks, honed in the Police Academy.

"Well, my initial diagnosis was right, it was fenfluramine poisoning," House explained, "But, you were right, there were no other traces of diet pills in your system. Unless you decided to dose yourself with a dangerous drug with no fun high, someone tried to kill you."

"Are you sure?" Alex replied, trying to ignore the horrified looks of her friends, "How the hell did this happen!"

"Blood doesn't lie," House replied, "I need to know everything you ate, starting forty-eight hours before you came here."

"Well, I had a 'Subway' sandwich for lunch Wednesday and a 'lean-cuisine' meal for dinner," Alex explained, "Thursday, I made myself a turkey sandwich with some cheddar quakes on the side, and for dinner I made myself chicken parmesan. Friday…Friday I had an egg salad sandwich for lunch and hospital food after that."

"Did you let your food out of your sight, even for a second?"

"Not that I can remember, and I made everything myself except for Thursday," Alex replied.

"With all due respect, it's our job to find out who poisoned our friend, and your concern to get her better and leave it at that," Elliot spit, his frustration getting the better of him.

"I have to contact the CDC, and they're going to want to know if she inhaled or ingested the poison," House retorted with a smile that said 'fuck off,' "Besides, you could all be at risk, and if we know the concentration of the poison we can better treat her. Now, are you sure that's _everything _you ate?"

"Oh, I almost forgot, I ate a piece of the 'Hershey' bar Elliot gave me on Thursday, but I doubt –"

"What 'Hershey' bar?" Elliot interrupted, "I didn't get you chocolate..."

"The huge bar you got me after we fought over the warrant Wednesday?" Alex was getting nervous and confused, "Remember, you left me a note, saying 'I'm sorry about the misunderstanding - No hard feelings? El.'"

"Alex, that wasn't me," Elliot said, now seeing the puzzle pieces fit together.

"Where's the rest of the bar?" House anxiously implored.

"It's still in my office on the top shelf," Alex answered, "Am I going to be alright?"

"Too soon to tell; we'll have to filter your blood through an oxidizing machine and give you high doses of vitamin C, but as long as your liver's not too badly damaged you should be fine," House said rather coldly, "But I need the bar to know how much vitamin C to give you."

"Liv and I'll go get it," Elliot offered, and Oliviaimmediately agreed. They took off in record speed, eager to get back and help Alex.

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to update Cragen," Munch announced, "Don't worry, sweetie, this won't end until we find the bastard that did this." He gave Alex a quick squeeze on the hand and went out into the hallway to place his call.

"Well, my job's done," House announced, "Call me when the chocolate's here. I have to be…somewhere else."

"I wish he wasn't such a good doctor; then maybe I could hate him," Alex spit after he left, "He's an ass, but there's something oddly likeable about him… "

"Yeah, he's a doctor and you're Alex," Casey quipped, "Mystery solved…"

That statement earned Casey a hard whack from Alex's pillow, and Fin just laughed, agreeing with the accuracy of Casey's last statement.

* * *

A couple hours later, Olivia and Elliot returned, chocolate in tote. Sure enough, tests revealed that the chocolate had been drugged. House supervised a liver and kidney ultrasound to ensure Alex's organs weren't too damaged, and thankfully everything was in working order and would heal on its own. Foreman and Chase determined the composition of the fenfluramine and began preparing the vitamin C mixture accordingly. Soon, the doctors placed Alex under anesthesia and connected her to an oxidizing machine to remove the poison. By 7:00, Alex was in the recovery room with her friends and Dr. Wilson, waiting to regain consciousness. After what felt like forever, Alex began to stir back to reality.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Olivia smiled, squeezing Alex's hand.

"Better, much better," Alex replied, surprised at how much she had improved, "My back still hurts, but my head doesn't hurt, and I'm finally _not _exhausted."

"Your heart rate is back to normal, too; and your blood pressure is back up," Wilson chimed in, "We'll have to hold you overnight for observation, but you should be good to go in the morning!"

"Oh, thank God!" Alex could feel the relief rush over her, "Thanks so much for everything!"

"Anytime," Wilson said, leaving after a quick, gentle squeeze of Alex's shoulder, "I have an appointment in ten, but page me if you need _anything_!"

"Wow, Alex, nice catch," Munch said what was on everyone's mind (once Dr. Wilson was out of earshot, of course).

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alex retorted, rather convincingly if they didn't know her.

"Well, you're still recovering, so we'll go easy on you," Olivia joked, "But just in case you were wondering, he's just as into you as you are to him."

"Oh stop it!" Alex laughed, begging herself not to blush, "He's just my _doctor_, and he has excellent bedside manner."

"Sure, ok," Olivia feigned agreement, "because you definitely don't have a thing for doctors…"

"I'm warning you, detective Benson…"

That stopped Olivia right in her tracks, though everyone exchanged knowing glances.

* * *

"Liz, I don't want to hear it, I'm coming back to work today!" Alex practically screamed over the phone the next morning, "I'm already so behind from my week out, and I need to –"

"Alex, I don't want to hear another word about it," Liz argued in the soft, frightening way only she could, "You're taking the rest of the week off, and that's final! And don't even think about trying to sneak back – I've notified the officers at the metal detector that you're not to come in to the building."

"I'm dying here," Alex begged, "I've been going stir-crazy this entire week, I _need _to come back!"

"You _need _to recover," Liz retorted, admiring her ADA's spunk, "For God's sake, Cabot, it's already Thursday, just use the time to catch up on _Grey's Anatomy._"

"Fine, but I'm having Casey bring me paperwork to do at home!"

"Very well," Liz answered, content that she couldn't force Alex to take it any easier, "_Try_ and relax and take it easy! Time off is a gift, not a curse. Now, I'll be by to visit soon, and I expect you to be relaxing and enjoying some recovery time when I see you!"

With that, the two said their goodbyes and Alex settled in for a _Grey's Anatomy _marathon, as per Liz's suggestion. It wasn't the time off work that bothered Alex the most, though. As reluctant as she was to admit it, she'd feel much safer at her office or in the precinct than she would alone in her apartment. Sure, she had a protective detail outside, but that didn't do much to quell her anxiety.

* * *

Back at Princeton Plainsboro, Dr. House was getting rather bored. So bored, in fact, he almost _voluntarily_ went to clinic duty. Shocked by the severity of the situation, he decided to resort to his second-favorite activity (his first favorite was solving a case): torturing Wilson. He plotted his brilliant antics as he made his way to the oncology department.

"Hey, Wilson, time for dinner," House barged in, "Want to try that new Indian place?"

"Sure, just give me ten minutes to finish up these charts."

Once Wilson was done, the two made their way to House's car, apparently to go out to eat. After forty minutes of driving, Wilson began to suspect something.

"Where is this restaurant, anyway?" Wilson asked, utterly bewildered about what House could be up to.

"Damn it, House! Where the hell are we going?" Wilson exclaimed as he saw House pull onto the New Jersey turnpike towards New York.

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_As always, thanks for reading! Hmm, what could House be up to? I wonder…review, review, review - they make my life complete!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello, loves! I'm so glad its summeeeeerrr! Anyway, as usual, thank you to all who take the time to read and review this story – I couldn't do it without you! Oh, and I own nothing, sadly, except the story line!_

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"Oh, did I say we were going out for Indian?" House mused, "What I _meant _to say was that we were going to visit your new _favorite _patient."

"And why would we do that?" Wilson was on the verge of yelling, "You really want to show up at her house out of the blue, and tell her what?"

"No, why would we do that?" House asked, and Wilson visibly relaxed for a moment, "She lives in New York, so she obviously has an apartment. And _someone _needs to return the bracelet she lost. And by lost, I mean I stole it."

"House!" Wilson screamed, "You're going to turn the car around, _mail _Alex the bracelet, and leave it at that!"

"I never _said_ it was Alex," House smiled devilishly, "Though the fact that you jumped to that conclusion proves I'm right!"

"House, knock it off," Wilson argued, "Alex is the only patient we've had from New York in a while, of course you mean her."

"Sure, I believe you," House dripped with sarcasm.

They entered Manhattan, and the change in traffic prompted House to pay additional attention to the road. Wilson looked out the window, hoping this 'adventure' would end soon. The two rode in silence, until House finally announced they had reached their destination. The building seemed very nice, yet understated, safe, and not incredibly expensive or cheap. Though, being in Manhattan, Wilson could only imagine the rent was astronomical.

"House, let's just turn around; she's going to think we're stalkers," Wilson asserted.

"Alright fine," House acquiesced, "We're already here, so just slip the bracelet into her mailbox and we'll go."

"I guess it's already in an envelope," Wilson considered. He got out of the car, intending to only go so far as the mailbox outside the apartment. However, as soon as he shut the car door, House sped away.

"God damn it, House!" Wilson screamed, trying to chase after the car to no avail. He eventually gave up on the pointless endeavor and decided to call a cab instead. Damn, this would be an expensive ride – he was an hour from home. As he sat down and began to dial, a blonde, thin form came and sat down next to him.

"Hi Dr. Wilson?" Alex greeted with a questioning smile, "I _thought _that was you out there..."

"Hi," Wilson tried to pretend like it wasn't awkward, "Umm, I came to…bring your bracelet back. And you can call me James…you're not my patient anymore."

"That's sweet," Alex replied, obviously realizing something was up, "You drove over an hour to hand deliver a bracelet? Talk about dedication!"

"Well, it was a Pandora…it looked expensive," Wilson began, though he decided to tell the truth when Alex's quizzical look didn't disappear, "Oh alright; House told me we were just going out to dinner. Turns out he stole your bracelet, and then kidnapped me, drove all the way here and _abandoned _me for God knows _what _reason!"

Wilson expected Alex to be disgusted and flip out. Instead, she just collapsed in a fit of laughter.

"Well, I'm glad someone finds this amusing," Wilson said, though he was given away by the smile spread across his lips.

"I'm sorry, I know you're probably really annoyed," Alex breathed through unrelenting laughter, "But you have to admit, that was pretty freaking hilarious!"

"Well, that's not_ usually_ the word people use to describe his antics," Wilson began, but he couldn't continue once he, too, fell into laughter. He wasn't sure if he actually thought this was funny, or if Alex's laugh was just contagious.

"Anyway, you probably want to get home sometime soon," Alex suggested once she stopped laughing, "Do you need a ride or anything?"

"No, I already called a cab, should be here in about an hour," Wilson answered, "I doubt House will come back before then, if ever…Thanks, though!"

"Well, if he _does _decide to show up, I can pretend I never saw you?" Alex thought aloud, "Maybe that'll make him think twice before he messes with you again!"

"You obviously don't know House," Wilson gave a melancholy laugh, "That'll just make him try harder! It's kind of like an Olympic sport for him, messing with me!"

"Well, anyway, you're more than welcome to come in out of the cold while you wait for your cab," Alex offered, trying to be nonchalant, "I'd offer to take you back myself, but my car's still in the shop."

"Sure, sounds great!" With that, the pair went inside and up to the fourth floor to her apartment.

* * *

"Take a seat, make yourself at home!" Alex gestured to her couch, "Can I get you a drink or something?"

"Sure, gin and tonic?"

"Oooh, I think I'll join you with that," Alex agreed, then went to the kitchen to prepare the drinks.

The two sipped their drinks and talked, the conversation and laughs coming with ease. Soon, however, the conversation turned to House.

"So, why exactly are you friends with him, again?" Alex laughed as Wilson described his antics, "Sounds like he makes you _miserable!_"

"Sometimes," Wilson thoughtfully answered, "Part of it is that I really do enjoy his company, most of the time. A bigger part is that I'm his only friend. If I stopped spending time with him, he'd have no one, and then who knows what he'd do…."

"Ah, I see," Alex sympathized, "I had a friend like that in college. It's a…strange dynamic, to say the least."

"Well, you know all about House," Wilson quipped, "It's only fair that I get to hear about your friend!"

"Alright! She was actually my freshman roommate," Alex revealed, "She had some _issues_, to say the least. She was depressed, chronic drug-user…she hated people; always found something wrong with everyone. She was really funny and nice deep down, though. I felt bad – I was her only friend that entire year."

"Sounds just like House," Wilson thought aloud, "Do you guys still keep in touch."

"No, we stopped talking after that year, actually," Alex revealed, "Apparently, the fact that I worked so hard to get A's when I congratulated her for a B in chem was _condescending_. She was convinced that I only stayed up so late and worked so hard to get attention and show her up. I found out the next summer from Res Life that she requested a different roommate for sophomore year."

"Wow, she sounds like a psychotic," Wilson thought aloud, "It's strange. You seem normal. I _think _I'm normal. Why do we attract such _interesting_ friends…?"

"You know, have you ever read 'The Catcher in the Rye?'"

"Yeah, that's one of my favorite books, actually!" Wilson exclaimed.

"It's one of mine, too! Remember when Nicholas is explaining how odd, interesting people flock to him because he reserves judgment?" Alex remarked, "Well, I feel like that's why House likes you. You don't judge him; you're just there for him. It's why he needs you…"

"You know, I think your right," Wilson realized, "You could be a psychologist, really!"

The two were interrupted when they heard a window smash, coming from Alex's bedroom.

"What the _hell _was that?" Alex instinctively grabbed onto Wilson, burying her head in his shoulder.

"Wait right here," Wilson commanded, "I'll go find out."

"_Fuck _no!" Alex shouted, gripping his arm harder, "I'm _not _staying in this room alone!"

"Alright, alright," Wilson agreed against his better judgment, "Stand behind me."

The two made their way into the room, Alex still grabbing onto Wilson's arm with a death grip and peeking out behind him.

"There's a gun in the top drawer of my bureau," Alex whispered.

"You have a gun?" Wilson asked, completely shocked.

"The captain of my police precinct gave it to me," Alex explained, "Long story…"

Wilson searched under the bed, behind the door, and in both closets to make sure no one had broken in. Satisfied with the assessment, the two finally relaxed a bit.

"Here's what broke it," Wilson thought to himself as he picked up a large rock lying on the floor.

"Is that…a note?" Alex asked, seeing a folded up piece of paper taped to the stone. She quickly grabbed it and unfolded the tiny paper.

_You got lucky this time, but you're as good as dead, bitch._

Alex took deep, soothing breaths, feeling her anxiety kick in. Wilson grabbed the note and read it, his face turning white.

"James, is that blood?" Alex asked.

"Would you freak out?" Wilson seriously implored.

"I'll take that as a yes," Alex stated, indeed freaking out more.

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_Thanks for reading, loves! Things are getting very interesting! Alex may be physically better, but the story is by NO MEANS over! Just a tip: reviews help my creative process a LOT, so consider leaving one :D_


	8. Chapter 8

_I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for such a long time between updates…I had a weird lapse in creativity, but hopefully my muse is back in town! Thanks for sticking with the story and reviewing! I own nothing, except the ideas running through my head!_

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In less than a minute, Alex's protective detail entered the apartment, alerted by the newly-installed window alarms. Though Alex was flipping out on the inside, she was able to calmly, coolly, and collectedly answer Detective Tobin's questions. Though he wanted to call NYPD homicide to investigate the threat, Alex finally convinced him to call her friends at the 1-6. The entire unit, including Captain Cragen and Casey, was there within ten minutes, and Alex and Wilson relayed the events of the night.

"My phones have been working fine, I think," Alex answered, "And I haven't noticed anyone following me…"

"Alright," Olivia said, taking down notes, "We'll send the letter and rock to the lab; see if we can't get fingerprints or DNA if it's real blood. Don't worry – we'll get this figured out."

Alex felt a migraine coming on, so she massaged her temples and gave a simple nod in agreement. Everyone could see she was on edge, and of course no one could blame her. The group sat in silence until Dr. Wilson's cellphone rang.

"That'll be the taxi," Wilson announced, "I'll just let him know he can leave without me…"

"No, don't be silly," Alex gently insisted, "I've held you hostage long enough!"

Wilson, feeling unusually protective, was going to insist otherwise when Alex's protective detail did the job for him.

"I'm sorry, but no civilians are getting in or out of this building until we've cleared everything," detective Tobin announced, "Shouldn't take too long, though – few hours tops."

"Tell you what," Olivia suggested, "How about Casey and I stay over tonight? We can play board games, watch the Yankees, and bore Dr. Wilson here with girl talk?"

Much as Olivia enjoyed spending time with Alex and Casey, her true motivation was making sure Alex had someone in her apartment who knew how to use a gun.

"I hate to spoil your fun," Cragen interjected apologetically, "But I'm going to need both of you down at the station. Liv, I need you to interview everyone who saw something and set up a tip line, and Casey, I'll need you to wake up a judge and get about fifty search warrants and subpoenas. Provided, of course, detective Tobin here feels Alex is completely safe?"

"Completely," he assured, "We have two armed officers guarding the door to the building, two out back on the fire escape, a squad cars making rounds around the neighborhood, and I'll be right outside the apartment door."

"You heard the man," Cragen continued, "Everyone, you know your orders. Let's nail the bastard!"

With that, everyone regretfully said their goodbyes, and Alex and Wilson were again left alone in her apartment.

"God, I'm really, really, _really _sorry about this," Alex exclaimed, "I'm sure the last thing you wanted was to be stuck stuck in Manhattan all night!"

"Please, no need to apologize!" Wilson genuinely replied, "Believe me, there are much worse ways to spend some time, and it's not like I had any big plans anyway."

"You really are too kind," Alex laughed, "Well, since House was _supposed _to take you out to dinner, I assume you haven't eaten. What are you in the mood for?"

"Oh, I'm not picky," Wilson replied, "Whatever's easy!"

"Alright then, I'll go see what mysterious things await in my fridge!" Alex gave a smile and went to see what she could scrounge up.

"Wow, this is possibly the most take-out I've ever seen!" Wilson teased, "Don't New Yorkers cook?"

"Not _this_ New Yorker!" Alex gave a self-deprecating laugh, "And if you think this is bad, you should see Olivia's fridge! At least I buy some fresh fruits and veggies once and a while!"

Realizing that most of her take-out was no longer edible, she quickly cleaned out her fridge and proceeded to check her freezer for food of some kind.

"Oooh, I forgot I had this lasagna in here!" Alex proudly pulled out a box of Stouffer's Farmer's Choice All Natural lasagna, "See, I cook once in a while!"

"Placing a pre-cooked item into an oven to reheat does not constitute cooking," Wilson joked, "But that looks good!"

Alex quickly read the directions and preheated the oven, still feeling on-edge about the evening's events. Her OCD began to kick in with the stress, and she started to scrub her counters with Clorox wipes and washed her floor with her Swiffer wet mop. She was about to take out some Comet to clean her bathtub, but Wilson, recognizing the OCD, intervened and tried to calm her down.

"Alex, try and take deep breaths," Wilson soothed as he placed his hands gently on her shoulders, "Everything's going to be fine! How about we follow Olivia's suggestion and watch TV or play a board game or something to get your mind off everything?"

"Ok, ok, cleaning supplies are going in the closet!" Alex promised, "And that sounds like a good idea! What do you have in mind?"

"Hmm, let's see," Wilson mulled as he searched through Alex's little game closet she used when entertaining, "Ooh, we could play 'Clue'?"

"Oh, you don't want to play that with me," Alex quickly replied, "Liv and El actually banned me from game night after last time…"

"Is that so?" Wilson set the bait, "It's just as well. I've never lost a game of 'Clue,' and House and I have some tricks that aren't exactly appropriate for amateur night."

"Amateur night?" Alex scoffed as she set up the game, "Are you shuffling or should I? Oh, and I'm always Ms. Scarlet."

The two played fast and hard, perfectly well matched. The game went on for almost an hour, each player carefully selecting and manipulating their moves and cards they showed. Finally, Alex's formal logic course paid off, and one turn before Dr. Wilson was about to make his accusation, Alex beat him to it.

"Wow, I'm impressed!" Alex admitted, "You're even tougher than Casey!"

"Yeah, yeah," Wilson feigned sarcasm, "Good game! You'd actually stand a chance against House!"

"Oh, he'd beat me like a rug in the end, I'm sure!" Alex laughed, "Though it'd be one hell of a fight!"

Suddenly, a light burning smell filled the room, and Alex immediately ran to the kitchen.

"Shit, the lasagna!" She rushed to get the meal out of the oven as quickly as possible, "See, this is exactly why I don't cook! At least I didn't set my kitchen on fire this time!"

"'This time?'" Wilson laughed as he went to assist Alex in the kitchen. Luckily, the lasagna was salvaged, and Alex only had to remove the dry outer crust.

"Loooong story!" Alex shirked, recalling the 'Kitchen Fiasco of 1999.' The fire department only had to come as a precaution, but she still couldn't look at chicken the same way…

The two sat and talked over what turned out to be a very tasty meal, and for a moment both forgot the earlier threat.

"So, what did you want to do?" Alex asked once dinner was finished, "I don't know if you like baseball, but it's Yankees – Red Sox, game six!"

"Oh, I almost forgot about that!" Wilson exclaimed. With that, the two flipped on the TV to see the Red Sox dominating with a 12-0 lead. Though it was still only the 6th inning, the pair realized that the Red Sox were just too amazing, too powerful, and too beastly to ever be beaten by such a pathetic force as the Yankees, so they simply gave up on watching the remainder of the game. As they were trying to think of something else to do, Alex's cell-phone interrupted them.

"Who is it?" Wilson asked.

Alex shook her head, indicating she had no idea. She gestured Wilson over, put the phone on speaker, and answered the unknown caller.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Alex," the familiar voice of detective Tobin filled the room, "We have reason to believe the scene's still unsafe. Civilians won't be allowed to leave until early morning at the earliest."

Though Alex and Wilson were both secretly thrilled he had to stay longer, she acknowledged that he had a life, so she tried to help him out.

"Are you sure there's nothing more you can do?" Alex began, "Dr. Wilson is a valuable asset to Princeton-Plainsboro hospital. Lives literally depend on him getting to work tomorrow morning –"

"I'll do everything I can," Tobin interrupted, "But for now, that's the official call."

Alex hung up, in no mood for polite good-byes.

"I'm so, so sorry, again," Alex began, "I didn't mean to screw up your whole schedule like this –"

"Alex, really, it's alright, I promise!" Wilson assured her honestly, "I'm flattered, but I have other oncologists that can take over my morning appointments if need be! I'm happy to stay as long as it takes to make sure everything's safe."

"Thank you," Alex visibly relaxed, "Now, since the Yankees clearly forgot how to play baseball, how about a movie?"

"Sounds good!" With that, the two looked though Alex's admittedly meager film collection.

"Really, you have "'Legally Blonde?'" Wilson chuckled.

"Excuse me, but Elle Woods is fantastic!" Alex retorted, "And don't act like you're honestly surprised I own that movie."

Wilson gave a nod, conceding her point, and suggested 'The Hangover.' Alex wholeheartedly agreed, and the two started up the film.

"Actually, I have a better idea!" Alex suddenly burst, "Want to see what Liv and Elliot are up to?"

"Wait, I thought your captain told them to go to the precinct?" Wilson clarified.

"The day Benson and Stabler obey orders they don't like is the day pigs fly," Alex deadpanned, "Nope, I'll bet anything they're right outside this apartment, trying to be all stealth."

Sure enough, Alex brought out two pairs of binoculars, and they could clearly see Olivia and Elliot sitting three blocks down across the street. Elliot looked as if he was reading some sort of magazine, and Olivia was talking to someone on her cellphone. Pretty soon, Olivia hung up her cell phone and she and Elliot began to chit-chat. Alex and Wilson couldn't tell what they were saying, but the ease and laughter between them was unmistakable. Elliot had a slightly smug expression on his face, like he had just cracked a joke at Olivia's expense, and in return for something she gave a hearty laugh and smacked him gently on the arm.

"Now, sorry if this is awkward," Wilson began, "But, are they dating?"

"I know, right!" Alex exclaimed, "They aren't, but it's only a matter of time. Casey and Fin agree with me. Munch and Cragen like the _idea_ of them as a couple, but they don't want them to mess up their partnership."

"Wow, so this is a hot topic of conversation," Wilson realized.

"Oh definitely," Alex chuckled, "It's pretty much a daily discussion…"

The two continued to watch, amused at how adorable Olivia and Elliot were together. Eventually, Wilson and Alex resigned to sheer immaturity and started creating their own dialogue for Olivia and Elliot's fairly mundane interactions. Suddenly, Elliot pulled out his own pair of binoculars and looked through Alex's window. Elliot's 'wtf' shrug and expression told Wilson and Alex that they had been caught. The pair ran out of sight, dove behind the couch, and collapsed into an uncontrolled fit of laughter. Neither was exactly sure why it was so funny, but it absolutely was!

"Wow, we would make terrible private investigators!" Wilson managed to utter amidst the laughter.

"Oh, we'd be awful!" Alex agreed, "Apparently med school and law school don't teach stealth skills!"

Sure enough, Alex's cellphone rang, showing Elliot's caller id. She figured Wilson may want to hear this, so she put it on speaker.

"Hello," Alex tried her best to curb the laughter and breathe normally.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Elliot asked, clearly amused.

"What am _I _doing?" Alex adopted a mock-cross examination tone, "I thought you and Olivia were needed at the precinct."

"Cragen may or may not know we're here," Elliot deadpanned, "Seriously, though…stay away from the windows; it's not safe."

"Yes, dad," Alex droned, "Now, you and _mom_ don't have _too _much fun in that car…"

Alex could practically hear the eye-roll as Elliot playfully hung up on her. Two seconds later, Elliot sent Alex a text.

_You're bad…_

_ You're _just _realizing this now?_ she sent back, inviting Wilson to look over her shoulder.

_No, just reaffirming an age-old truth_

_ Good, I was worried for a second…_

Suddenly, however, Alex was hit with a jolt of inspiration.

"Hey Wilson, want to liven things up a bit?" Alex asked, "I'm feeling like playing _matchmaker._"

"Oh no," Wilson objected, recalling his trying days with House and Cuddy, "Trust me, it's best just to stay out of it, what will be will be…"

"Well you're no fun all of a sudden," Alex chided, "Oh come on…it's not like anyone can _force _something to happen – we'll just be speeding up the inevitable!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but what the hell," Wilson finally acquiesced, "What are you proposing?"

Alex quickly explained her inspired master plan, and the two got to work on operation fix-up. Little did they know, Olivia and Elliot had their own tricks up their sleeve…

* * *

Heyy, thanks for reading! so OOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGG ALEX AND CASEY ARE BOTH COMING BACK FOR SEASON 13! MY LIFE IS COMPLETTTEE! Oh, and as sad as I am that Elliot's leaving, that absolutely sexy, sexy man from Cold Case is joining the cast - YUM!


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